The present invention relates generally to hospital surgery room equipment, and more particularly to disposable covers used for handles of surgical room light fixtures.
Special lighting fixtures are used in operating rooms and surgical surroundings in order to provide adequate lighting for surgery. Surgical personnel are able to focus and adjust the position of such a lighting fixture during an operation by grasping a handle attached to the fixture, and moving the fixture to a desired position. In order to maintain a sterile operating environment, a disposable cover is provided that fits over the handle of the light fixture, thus preventing the hands of surgical personnel from directly touching the handle and adjacent portions of the light fixture.
One such disposable cover is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,124, issued to Sandel et al. on Aug. 12, 1986. This patent describes a disposable cover made from an integral thin-walled plastic or rubber-like material that fits over a handle of a light fixture. However, problems may be encountered in fitting such a disposable cover over a contoured handle having a non-uniform cross sectional configuration. Also, it may be difficult to fit the disposable cover securely to such a handle so that the cover will not come free of the handle during movement of a light fixture by surgical personnel.